1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to an electrical connector, and in particular to an electrical connector having excellent shielding properties.
2. The Prior Art
An electrical connector mounted on a circuit board for mating with a connector fixed on an end of a cable to establish electrical connection therebetween is well known in the electronics field. Examples are disclosed in Taiwan Patent Application Nos. 84207642 and 86212787. FIG. 5 of the attached drawings shows an example of a conventional connector. A connector 5 comprises an insulative housing 51 having a front face with two tongue plates 52 extending therefrom. Each tongue plate 52 has opposite faces with passageways defined therein for each receiving a mating section 62 of a contact element 61. Each contact element 61 has a tail section 63 extending through the housing 51 and projecting beyond a rear face thereof. A shielding member 71 comprises a tubular section 73 extending from a surrounding flange 72 and defining a cavity 75. The flange 72 is attached to the front face of the housing 51 with the cavity 75 of the tubular section 73 receiving and shielding the tongue plates 52 and the mating ends 62 of the contact elements 61. Lugs 74 are formed on edges of the flange 72. Each defines a hole 76 for engaging with a barb 53 formed on the housing 51 to fix the shielding member 71 to the housing 51.
The shielding member 71 shields and protects the mating sections 62 of the contact elements 61 from external electromagnetic interference (EMI) and undesired mechanical loads. However, the tail sections 63 of the contact elements 61 are exposed and unshielded whereby protection from damage incurred thereon by a foreign object is not provided and a short circuit may result. In addition, the exposed tail sections of the contact elements are subject to external electromagnetic interference thereby adversely affecting signal transmission therethrough.
It is thus desirable to have an electrical connector having improved shielding properties.